An organization dedicated to getting rid of Manitoba’s wild pig problem will be getting new support.
On April 23, the federal and provincial governments announced $2.6 million over the next four years for Squeal on Pigs Manitoba.
Squeal on Pigs has become a major vehicle in the province for public awareness, data collection and removal of wild pigs, an invasive species renowned for their ecological and agricultural damage.
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Federal agriculture minister Lawrence MacAulay described Squeal on Pigs as a “vitally important campaign.”
“Wild pigs can spread disease and cause serious damage to cropland and natural habitats,” he noted in a statement.
Provincial Agriculture Minister Ron Kostyshyn, meanwhile, said that “left unchecked, wild pigs pose a threat to the health of people and animals, and this program takes critical proactive measures to protect Manitobans and the province’s pork industry.”
“This important initiative also addresses challenges caused by wild pigs to pastures, forages, crops and other parts of Manitoba’s agriculture sector.”
Last year, Squeal on Pigs responded to 157 reported sightings, leading to the removal of 127 animals. The organization’s monitoring and eradication capacity included 30 traps, 90 trail cameras and two thermal imaging drones in 2023, following another investment from the federal government, that one tied to African swine fever prevention.
But it hasn’t been an easy fight. The pigs are notoriously difficult to control, and the tactics that have proven effective elsewhere in the world have not always worked on the Prairies.
The Manitoba Pork Council and Squeal on Pigs team welcomed the new funds.
Project co-ordinator Wayne Lees noted the threat of wild pigs as a disease vector.
“The biggest issue that we face is knowing where to look in the first place,” he said in an interview with the Co-operator earlier this year. “That’s why the public reporting is so important to us.
Future Squeal on Pigs goals at the time included the completion of an aerial survey of southwestern Manitoba, continuation of DNA-based tracking efforts and the development of a national database.
The new funds will be provided through the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership.
